< Back

Famous work on obstetrics by the king's midwife

LE BOURSIER DU COUDRAY, Angélique.
Abrégé de l' art des accouchemens, dans lequel on donne les préceptes nécessaires pour le mettre heureusement en pratique. On y a joint plusieurs observations intéressantes sur des cas singuliers. Ouvrage très-utile aux jeunes Sages-Femmes, & généralement à tous les élèves en cet art, qui desirent de s' y rendre habiles.

With engraved frontispiece of a portrait of the author by J. Robert and 26 engraved plates printed in 2 colours, black and red, of anatomy and birthing procedures

With engraved frontispiece of a portrait of the author by J. Robert and 26 engraved plates printed in 2 colours, black and red, of anatomy and birthing procedures

With engraved frontispiece of a portrait of the author by J. Robert and 26 engraved plates printed in 2 colours, black and red, of anatomy and birthing procedures

With engraved frontispiece of a portrait of the author by J. Robert and 26 engraved plates printed in 2 colours, black and red, of anatomy and birthing procedures

With engraved frontispiece of a portrait of the author by J. Robert and 26 engraved plates printed in 2 colours, black and red, of anatomy and birthing procedures



Saintes, Pierre Toussaints, 1769. 8vo. Contemporary brown sprinkled calf, gilt spine with yellow title label lettered in gold, gilt filet on covers, red painted edges. With engraved frontispiece of a portrait of the author by J. Robert and 26 engraved plates printed in 2 colours, black and red, of anatomy and birthing procedures "gravé en couleurs" by J. Robert and "peint" by P. Chapparre. X, 84, (6) pp.

Rare second and best edition of this important work in the history of French obstetrics by Angélique Marguerite Le Boursier du Coudray (1715-1794), the most famous midwife of the 18th century. The first edition appeared in 1759, but does not contain the 26 plates included in this edition. In 1759, in an effort to end infant mortality, Louis XV commissioned Madame du Coudray to travel throughout France teaching the art of childbirth to illiterate peasant women. For the next thirty years, she taught in nearly forty cities and reached an estimated ten thousand students. She wrote this textbook and invented a life-sized obstetrical mannequin for her demonstrations. She dedicated her book to "Monseigneur Bernard de Ballainvilliers". The plates were printed in colours following the " procécé thrichronomique de Le Blon" (see: Anatomie de la couleur. L' invention de l' estampe en couleurs (1996), p. 107).
The work was republished in 1773, 1777, 1785 and 1976. In 1998 Nina RattnerGelbart has published her biography: The King's Midwife. A history and mystery of Madame du Coudray.

Very good copy with an owner's signature on title.- (Title slightly soiled in margin with repaired tear, portrait shaved).


Related Subjects: Anatomy  Gynaecology  Medicine 

Add to Shopping cart
€ 4.000,00

Prices in EUROS (€), shipping and BTW/VAT extra.

< Back

Terms of sale

All items are offered subject to prior sale. Prices are nett and in (€) EURO. VAT/BTW, postage, and insurance are not included. 

Free shipping for orders over € 2,500.  EU customers: if applicable, please quote your VAT number when placing orders.

Preferred mode of payment: by credit card through our secure online payment service, which is facilitated by Ogone. If you wish to make other arrangements, please contact us. Terms of sale

E-mail this to a friend







This is a captcha-picture. It is used to prevent mass-access by robots. (see: www.captcha.net)

Type the characters that you see in the box (5 characters). The code can include characters 0..9 and A..F.*

  


Antiquariaat FORUM B.V.
Tuurdijk 16
3997 MS t Goy-Houten,
The Netherlands
Phone: (+31) (0)30 601 1955
Fax: (+31) (0)30 601 1813
E-mail: info@forumrarebooks.com
Web: http://www.forumrarebooks.com